FFXIV Writing- Why I Sighed for Quintus van Cinna
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- Опубліковано 26 січ 2023
- Make no mistake. These scenes were dark and I danced around the grave ending as best I could. UA-cam doesn't like when people talk about those things. But I feel like I got my point across well enough.
While the leaders of Garlemald likely all knew about the Ascians, they might not have understood they were being controlled from the very start. And yet, for how short he was in the story Quintus was a very well written and memorable character to me. So I'm curious to see if any of you feel the same way!
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#ffxiv #lore #writing - Ігри
For what it's worth, I'm a war veteran (war, not combat, just making THAT clear early on), and a former commanding officer (at company level), so my experience of EW was MUCH different that most players' would be. That said, Quintus made me SO ANGRY. I get where the patriotism and dedication to his nation and all come from, that's understandable, especially when exactly that sort of thing has played out so many times throughout history in the same/similar circumstances. Theirs was a nation that had nothing BUT pride and patriotism left, and dear gods, I felt bad for the Garlean people. The devs did an excellent job of showing us the hell that the people have gone through, and we finally see faces and hear the stories of the people back home, who are NOT the faceless troops we've been cutting down since early on in ARR. They are a desperate people, but they are also possessed of uncompromising honor
And that's why Quintus makes me so livid; when it all comes crashing down and his dreams of what he dreamed Garlemald should be would never come to be, he abandoned his own people. Maybe, and this is just me, instead of "releasing" his people he could have, I don't know, RALLIED THEM TO HIM AND HELPED LEAD THEM TO SAFETY. Swallow his gods-damned pride and BE A LEADER. When you take command you take the lives of those under you into your own hands with the promise to protect them. And the sensations and emotions I felt going into Garlemald felt the same damn way I did when I was gearing and training up to go overseas. We were also there to help, to try and bring peace and stability to a region, but that did NOT change the fact that we were a superior military force, and an occupying one. I applaud the FFXIV team for that, as it's been fifteen years, but I STILL recall that discomfort. Granted, I never ended up outside of Kuwait, but despite that, I was still a foreign soldier on their soil, and I knew full well that while some people might be glad for our help, most would see us as intruders and invaders, and they would not be wrong.
I make this point because I absolutely see and understand his initial perspective, especially for his age. This is all he's ever known, it's everything for which he has literally fought and bled, and to see everything for which one has toiled for so long and fiercely be shattered is absolutely crushing. But his people needed him, as a LEADER, someone to whom they could look for guidance, reassurance, and HOPE, and instead, he sent soldiers off on a mission that they could not win with the last of the cereuleum that was keeping the civilians alive before tapping out, and I WAS PISSED. There is something to be said for being steadfast, but one who is too rigid will shatter when they need to bend. His people needed him, and he pretty much left them on their own to die. Granted, it's been a year and something since I played that section, so I likely remember things incorrectly, and if I'm wrong on events then do not hesitate to call me out! But what I recall with clarity was thinking, "oh shit, we've got to get everyone out of here to safety, but I know they'll not listen to me, they'll die before they accept help," and I was so angry that the person who could have convinced and led them to that safety was no longer there. As someone who was once in charge of the lives of others, I wanted to grab him by the collar and scream at him: "This is bigger than you! This is about your PEOPLE, your NATION, and without the people there is no nation! Prove to me that you are the man you claim to be, rise up and meet this challenge, get up and save the lives that you swore to protect!! Show me that undying spirit, that indefatigable will to live! Suffer one 'defeat' that you may yet win the 'war.'"
But then, perhaps that's why he's such a powerful character, that his decisions evoked such a response in me, and is proof of how well-written he is. That though I disagree with his motives and reasons for logical, reasoned ones, and because of similarities/contrasts to my own experiences, they don't make his wrong. And again, it's been a year, maybe my memories are colored by time and emotion, and I could be wrong about EVERYTHING. I'm strong enough to see when my opinions and information are incorrect, and change to adapt to them, but then, I have the freedom and support structures to do so. Quintus, sadly, did not.
This is legit one of the best comments I've ever read in over 10 years on this platform
There are some times I read an interesting comment and smile with a thumbs up, and then there's comments like yours. Thank you for posting this flawless sapphire of a comment. You gave a clear and thought provoking perspective on that story arc that I didn't know I needed.
For me personally, that arc was depressing in a very familiar way, considering the time it was released. It was during a time where people were ready and willing to dig their heels into denial, even as they breathed their final breaths. A precious few would wake up from the denial long enough to warn others before their own imminent deaths... only for more to sing the same song with no changes to the verses, like a round.
Because of that, at the time I did sigh for the 1st Legatus, but it was was such an empty one. Like "Oh, you're one of *those.* Yeah, he won't last; where's that cute lieutenant at?" My eyes were so empty... I was so emotionally exhausted by encountering people like him in and out of real life. Any extra fury I may have had for him failing as an effective leader when his worldview shattered was already spent because of the real world leaders grifting our lives away as I was playing the game that very day, and they continue to do NOW. I was just... emotionally checked out in a lot of ways, especially when I was losing family members from the foolishness.
I'm doing better now, but even while watching the video, I couldn't help but dissociate a bit from the trauma he represents for me. Faces of family, friends, grifters, politicians, and regular Joes/Janes who gaslit the masses that what was happening wasn't real, to the detriment of themselves and everyone else... I'm still mad about it, because many of them still lived to say "See I told you so! 😋" while hiding their eyes from the masses of bodies that piled up from those who weren't as lucky. I hate it. Seeing him and people like him... I can't do it. He's not even an idiot; he just chose to make the empire his whole personality. He was shaped and drowned in propoganda, yes, but he also didn't dare question the inconsistencies and hypocrisies the Garlean Empire presented THE ENTIRE TIME HE WAS ENLISTED. Not even a little bit? And you're leading desperate, undernourished troops under you for glory? We finna eat glory for dinner now, Legatus?! Get outta here...
Anywho, those are my thoughts as a lowly civilian State-side. ✌🏿
Quintus made me sigh as well. So much pain bottled up into one man, so desperate to hold on to an empire that did not share his honor or his devotion.
Garlemald was an incredibly heavy chapter of Endwalker. I feel like it was intentional that they had the Lopporits appear for some very lighthearted shenanigans soon after to balance things out. Especially considering the absolute hopeless dread of the Final Days that the story punches us in the gut with after that.
Endwalker was an absolute emotional rollercoaster and I loved the ride.
Yes. It's a particularly important thing when writing. You need to have moments of levity and lower stakes (or lower perceived stakes) to make a palate cleanser among heavier themes. Lighter moments mixed with darker events create a contrast that, if executed correctly, serves to elevate each other. Of course, it is possible to fail in the execution; the Company of Heroes portion of the 2.0 story is an infamous example of this.
The entire Garlemald arc was decisively the "welcome to" moment for Endwalker. What should have been a glorious march into enemy territory culminating in a clash back at the militaristic oppressors who had been terrorizing Eorzea for the past century, had abruptly ended as we looked upon a haunting snow-covered waste. There was no hope, no glory, and no life left, as the very enemies we came to defeat were themselves huddling together for warmth, and begging for food and succor. Quintus was a man of nearly unrivaled dedication to his country and his dream, that he was willing to plant his feet in the snow and die defending his ruined home in the vain hope that his fellow legionaries would return to save the day, and his men rallied behind that devotion. But it was all too obvious that the conditions nipped away at their morale as much as their health.
Quintus' final decision to release his men, to me, is the sign that he could definitely have been a man of great standing in the new world had he chosen to move on, but was so deeply devoted to the Garlean Dream that he and his generation were raised on, that they bled and died for, that he could not accept giving it up. A mentality that many could understand, and sadly regret those who could not break away and move on. The final image of his body on the floor, as his blood stains the final link in the chain, set mockingly to the tune now clear tune of "Home Beyond the Horizon," is on of the most poignant moments I have seen in any game I have played. For the monster that he was made to look like, the game makes you really feel that if you had moved sooner somehow, perhaps you could have saved this man, and through compassion and empathy, seen him raise up his men to a new kind of glory, and establish a better Garlemald for even better Garleans.
Slight correction. The team's intention going into Garlemald was to help, not to hurt. But I do still agree that the entirety of the Garlemald arc was part of what made this expansion such an incredible finale to the entire Zodiark saga. From beginning to end, this really set the tone for how incredible our final journey as a Scion of the Seventh Dawn would turn out to be.
If we had moved sooner he would have greeted us with a bang on the head, as he surely would have done if we hadn't gone when they were at the bottom of the barrel. Quintus is a warning of what happens when you put ultra-nationalists in power who would rather condemn and burn their country than ask for help. Misplaced pride blinds you to what is truly important. And yes, he is still a monster.
Amazingly written. I fully agree with everything you just said.
We...didnt go there to defeat them. we went there to help them. and they werent begging for food or succor, they thought we were going to crush them. I dont know where you got that from. Youre right about Quintus though; he was a very good man working off very bad information. He probably would have seen himself as a relic of a past age if his dream was ever achieved. He's a soldier, a fighter; and in a lasting peace what need have you for fighters? .
@@xSaraxMxNeffx The "begging for succor" part was referring to how the soldiers and civilians were all starving and freezing to death, hoping for any of their allies to return with supplies or news of victory. They wanted some kind of help, just not ours, and it was clear that the decision to use the fuel for the Reapers instead of the heating was one they understood would cost them their lives if it failed.
As for why we went there, while may be true that aiding the Garlean people was on the table, we assembled a fighting force for a reason. Zenos was there, Fandaniel was there, and presumably any supporters and enthralled they had should have been there shoring up the guard. There was an expectation that we would be met with resistance upon entry, and that there would be conflict the whole way through. It's just that nobody clearly anticipated how much chaos the Telophoroi actually created, and how little they intended to keep things in check.
Basically this was going to be the final war against Garlemald, or Garlemald's version of the Ala Mhigan revolution, but both cases did not account for the city being effectively burned to the ground before we arrived.
I’ve seen this kind of behavior in similar characters that are old. Too old and set in their ways to change, even with the odds against them. They ultimately see a bigger picture, but often feel they can never be a part of it. That it’s beyond them. So I feel for his pain, but ultimately his choices, and the subsequent consequences, were his alone to make. I find that he freed his men from service was not a failing at least and had the decency to let them see the morrow and potentially not be tied down. In a way I can respect him even if I don’t agree with his philosophy or methods.
On a separate note, the fact he’s a legatus makes me think he would have been able to fight back hard had we gone against him. Much like Gaius or Vergilia. They were no pushovers by any means. Would have been a cool instanced duty.
Alas, he'd already been injured by the time you get to him- "For my wounds, I may never take the field again. But we survived, aye."
@@Reynsoon I did say “would have.” I thought that injury was implied.
If he had appeared during ARR or HW he would have been a challenge but at this point it would be ridiculous if he would pose a bigger threat than a fly
@Jhon Luke I mean, injuries aside, remember that the 1st Legion was given its watch over the home territory of Garlemald because of its unparalleled loyalty and strength of arms.
Aside from Zenos, obviously, I imagine Quintus at his best was on par with someone like Gaius. A foe below us, obviously, but hardly a fly or a pushover.
Remember, in ARR we fight Gaius with an 8 man party canonically. And in the GNB role quest, we fight a guy said to be his equal and he wasn't a pushover at all.
Vergilia in her tempered state stood up to some of the strongest fighters in all of Etheirys and won against several of them. Even with a group effort with us, it took a lot to bring her down finally.
Please. Hell yes. A lore video on each of the legions would be amazing. More people need to know of the 11th Legion. I still find it a shame Endwalker was so condensed, and that it retroactively made Stormblood worse because much of the build up for that expansion was resolved in an offscreen implosion of the empire.
In a way I am very much reminded of Denethor from Lord of the Rings. Both older men, both noted statesmen and warriors, both serving in the fading days of their empire's glory and both, in the end, giving into the despair of defeat, seeing no way past it except for death, and they would rather face their own death than see the ragged remnants torn to shreds.
Quintus even said it himself: to his mind if they surrendered their pride, then the Garleans would be a broken and outcast people, left to eke out an existence on the fringes of society. And I did feel sorry for him that he couldn't see past that mindset. I also think that in some ways, on some level, he knew that what the Garleans had done to others was, if not wrong, would be perceived as wrong, and the only thing he could imagine was that the rest of the world would want their pound of flesh in revenge. After all, wasn't that why they had turned conquistador in the first place?
*spoiler*
This is going to sound terrible but it was probably a good thing he suicided before the death of Zodiark, or he likely would have been one of the first to turn. The Endsinger might have sheparded despair, but she would have found fertile ground in his heart.
*Spoiler*
That last paragraph is pretty much what happened to Nerva and what led to the final role quest
for me Quintus was a very tragic character. The pain he felt was very visible even though he tried to act cool and stoic on the outside. I can only imagine what it's like to see your nation and home that you loved so much and devoted your life into, become a barren, depressing wasteland and then get treated like a charity case by the people who were your enemies. The Eorzean alliance did the right thing by offering assistance, but god the Garleans must've felt so utterly helpless and defeated. No wonder so many of them are in denial or straight up refuse assistance from the alliance.
Not just helpless and defeated. A lot of Garleans also got a heavy dose of propaganda throughout their lives. You even had Garleans who would rather send their relatives in the wild, risking certain death instead of accepting help because they believe that Eorzeans are evil savages doing unspeakable things to them. This mirrors the Japanese in WW2 who would rather throw themselves off of bridges and drown their children when US soldiers are advancing instead of submitting to them, thanks to propaganda telling them that the US will do all sorts of fucked up things to them.
And yeah, Quintus was a very tragic character. One that was very well written. You couldn't just the the pain he felt, you could also hear in his voice that he is a damaged man from all the events that happened. It felt like he was on the verge of breaking everytime, only being hold together by his pride and hope that he could lead his people out of this hellhole. Only to loose both after his last gambit.
Not to discount what you say because I do agree, but wasn’t Garlemald always a barren and depressing wasteland of ice and snow? They just made it into a great city by Magitek.
Besides the Garlemald zone in general, I was reminded of Quintus during the Omicron section of Ultima Thule. When Sir and G’raha were having their discussion, Sir’s recounting of the Omicron’s justification for conquest was basically identical to what Quintus had spewed to the twins and WoL. In a way the Omicrons were basically the perfect parallel of the Garlean Empire mindset that Quintus so fervently clung to.
Endwalker did something incredible; it humanised the Garleans. The fall of the Empire and the survival of its people is something we have seen through human history and only reinforces the Garleans as just another victim in the Ascians plans.
Quintus very quickly become one of my favorite characters, as someone that’s a huge fan of war stories
So much pain, so much hate, so much propaganda finally spilling over when everything’s fallen apart around him
I couldn’t save him, but he allowed me to save those under him at the cost of himself, finally allowing the Empire to move on, in a way
Seeing this man, even after everything, say “why don’t you just fall under garlemald’s rule? Is it because we’re different than you? Because we don’t share your faith?” just dug a pit in my stomach that I’d never really felt from this game before
Rest well, Quintus, you and the Empire
Quintus is the darker side of Emet realizing the world they love no longer exists.
I'd say that for Quintus in the situation he was in it was unlikely that he would have changed his ways. He did act as a leader for his people in a time of need, but he had invested so much of his life and identity into his dream of Garlemald that he couldn't let go of it. Between Quintus and the girls that fell to monsters, i felt the deep tragedy that was final days Garlemald. And it made me feel pity for the lives lost needlessly. Thank for covering this scribe
The second he put collars on the twins, my compassion wore out. Zero tolerance policy.
I say without shame that I cried for Quintus. I cried so much that I had to pause the game for a while. And he respected the strength of the WoL, not underestimating or overestimating you. His love for the homeland was immense, his greatest strength, but also his biggest flaw. Despite understanding the logic of his conclusion, I couldn't (and still can't fully) accept it...
I pitied his character so much, even despised him as he went on with his lectures and views. Same time, knowing about Garlean empire was a lie, made me feel so sad for all the people. They made Garleans amazingly written characters, you understood their views, their fears of other people.
FF14 writing is amazing, and I hope it just keeps going forward, and doesn't dull, I love FF14 dearly
"If we had accepted your gods, would they have saved us?"
@@ChainedFei It's very fucked up after the fact but I was so pissed at that point I literally thought in response.
"Maybe. Your emperor couldn't".
I still feel really bad since they've all been indoctrinated by Garlean ideology and couldn't see outsiders and their beliefs as anything other than savage. I can't believe they humanized Garleans. XIV's writing is incredible.
for me, he was a warning that Endwalker wasn't going to be pulling any punches.
If the writers where going to go so far as to have a man kill him self, as close to on screen as they where probably allowed, then I figured i should at least brace for what else might be on the horizon.
I felt the same way about him. Probably sighed too. My reaction to his final cutscene was "you honorable fool". Was the only one out of my friends that thought like this. Thank you for showing me that I'm not the only one with this opinion :D
This was a great scene because if you know true pain, you understood what was about to happen. I knew he was going to kill himself
Before the gun even comes into frame, it's clear what's gonna happen. They could have not even showed him holding it, and you would know exactly what was going to happen. They did such a great job portraying the Garleans in EW. Part of me hopes they would release Garleans as a playable race in the future, considering how they've gone from moustache twirling BBEGs to very relatable people in a dreadful situation not of their own doing.
@@MultiMelodia Setting aside that the devs have said that they don't plan on adding more playable races, making Garleans playable would require a BUNCH of explanations why someone of a race incapable of manipulating Aether could become a White Mage, a Red Mage or even jobs like Paladin or Dragoon.
Especially when they physically tend to look like a tall Hyur with something on their forehead.
@@TheIvoryDingo wouldn't them being able to summon voidsent for their reaper contracts before the invention of magitek break with the premise of them being entirely unable to manipulate aether anyway?
@@MultiMelodia They forged pacts with Voidsent to become Reapers BECAUSE they couldn't manipulate Aether like the other races and as such it would be the only job they could utilise without any write around
@@TheIvoryDingo Technically, the jobs that strongly hint at using mostly Dynamis instead of aether(the music ones, DRK...) could _in theory_ be compatible with Garleans, so...
Okay but I would LOVE watching a video (or videos) on all of the legion's leaders.
A lack of perspective didn’t make madness, the way I see it from his point of view, with the empire dead, he just didn’t have a reason to live.
Pride kept him alive when the capitol fell into anarchy, but the rope that held him up also became his noose with a single misstep.
Garlemald was my favorite part of EW personally
It was very grounded that's for sure. Extremely interesting.
@@SynodicScribe It somehow feels almost like a different expansion from all the stuff that comes after. It's wild.
@@PatriotArro Id heard from a friend that it was supposed to be a different expansion all together. One expansion for Garlemald and one for wrapping up with the Hydaelyn Zodiark saga
@@ziongamer6905God I wish
I heard EW was originally planned for two expansions too, just imagine
Finally getting to Garlemald and hearing that beautifully sad piano music really touched me. Not "show me on the doll" touched the other one.
You finally made the video. wooo! been waiting on this one.
I can not thank you enough for your work.
What shows his character is that to the last minute his soldiers were completely loyal to him, even if they didn't agree with him. He was a respected leader, just like Gaius was before his fall, even if their values were skewed.
Please do the video covering the other legions and Legatus. Von Hydrus and Gabranth need way more attention
In an unfortunate event, I absolutely dislike the Garlean's, only caring for Gaius. The rest to me was and still feels like insignificant waste, despair and ruin brought upon by themselves for no true or actual goal. Even the Emperor had said he was going to allow the calamities to continue with the end goal being that a united Man would be what drives back the Ascian's. There is this split in ideal's here. Quintus felt, exactly as you stated at 2:30, that the correct path to proceed was Garlemald takes over the world and then rules it and maintains an era of peace and prosperity under one banner. But Varis never said that was the plan nor intention. Literally during the sit down scene before Ghimlet Dark, he tells you that he knows the Ascian's exist, he plans to allow the rejoining's to continue and then a united man will fight back. This discrepancy between the literally leader of Garlemald and one of his top, most devoted Generals, shows the lack of insight and understanding that even their most devout leaders would have.
In the end, his plan of allowing the rejoining would mean that the world would face calamity after calamity including ones that could literally destroy Garlemald. And then, nothing would happen in the way Varis believed. There would be no great unification of Man to fight back, no team play to defeat the great bad that was the Ascians (At the time as we hadn't learned too much of them by End of Stormblood) This to me makes me feel that the entire Garlean belief, system, feelings, emotions, cause is entirely and 100% wrong. I feel no sympathy, I don't care for their plight, and what little bit I do get when I see a people in harms way, trying desperately to survive, is lost when they refuse and rebuttal your every attempt to help them.
In the end, the garlean empire arrived, fought and took over various lands, and then became destroyed, and the world is unchanged. Their impact is technology and rule that will be lessened by the passage of time.
Hard agree.
The more we see Garleans being, just blatant and uncaring villains, makes it nigh impossible to turn it and have them be in a sympathetic light for me. Especially when the ones we try to save are so set in their ways, they would rather seek death, rather than survive under "savages" rule.
Given the thesis or theme of Endwalker overall (Despair vs Hope) I feel like the actions of Quintus in this arc are important to serving that theme. Yes, he was motivated by patriotism and pride and he puts on a good show, but ultimately his final actions show just how much the loss of Garlemalds dreams of conquest have torn him down. How what should have been Garlemalds greatest leigon has been cut down in the wake of the emperors death. In the end, he gives into despair and takes his own life, convinced that anything that comes after isn't worth living for. However, as we see mere minutes later with Jullus, there are still things worth living for. Simple things, like a cup of warm soup after being cold and hungry for so long. Perhaps if Quintus hadn't acted rashly and had lived to see Camp Broken Glass, maybe things would have been different. But as is, I feel like showing this story in all is dark moments really helped sell the core theme of endwalkers narrative.
What always stuck out to me about Quintus is the if you truly wanted peace why didn't you accept Garlean rule scene. He is so very certain that either one's values must dominate the other for civilization to work that his conviction shrouds the obvious answer to his question, shown by the mere existence of the Grand Company of Eorzea, that people are capable of coexisting and uniting without throwing away what makes them completely different. Our heroes basically get lost in the heat of the moment but despite all of this he just sounds so sad and ends the scene complimenting the WoL.
Its really a shame, I was excited to see him since the legions have a connection to the game their number falls under and FF1 is my favorite game in the series but he was here and gone so quickly.
The situation regarding Quintus seems to mirror the closing days of WW2. Japan had been decimated, Tokyo had been almost erased from the earth from the firebombings. Nagasaki and Hiroshima had killed thousands and Hirohito, even facing a coup attempt to continue the war by his own military leadership had made the decision to agree to unconditional surrender. For some in the Japanese army and Navy, the decision was too much as a few of them ended their own lives than face what they might interpret as a frightening new world.
Of course the cynical part would ask how many would be looking at a War crimes trial.
When he took his own life I felt bad. No because he was dead but because I was relived he was gone. I wanted nothing more then to help his people and when he died all I thought was “good now I can help your people”
Patriot was the wrong word. Nationalist would be more apt for him. He was ready to sacrifice his own countrymen to keep his vision of a ‘perfect’ Garlemald alive. He had no desire to improve his country or the wellbeing of its people. He thought it was perfect. He didn’t kill himself in an act of patriotism, he killed himself in an act of foolish pride. For all his posturing during the negotiations with the twins, it was *he* who was unable to see the situation for what it was, and when he finally realized it thanks to Lucia relaying the coded message, he didn’t dismiss his soldiers out of respect for them, he sent them on the suicide mission in the first place after all. He dismissed his soldiers because it was that act, of other legions accepting Eorzean aid, that finally hammered home how truly gone his ‘perfect’ Garlemald was. A true patriot would prioritize their nation and peoples’ wellbeing before they prioritize some kind of philosophical identity. His actions are much more in line with a nationalist, someone so aggressively sure of their country and policy that they would rather die and send their people on a suicide mission than compromise even in the slightest.
Oh how I remember everything... looking at Quintus, seeing how prominent he was, and imagining that possibly, after Garlemald ultimately surrenders, he'll reconsider his stance, and he would end up representing the remains of his nation at various meetings of the world's nations.... But I was very wrong
I never felt Quintus went 'mad'..... i felt more that he was an exact carbon-copy of Soldiers/Leaders who have spent so much time in warfare, that they legitimately have no idea what to do without it; that have also seen so much loss that anything 'other' than victory seems like it would be a 'dishonor' to those that were lost.
Sadly, that is likely a real consequence for soldiers/leaders who live to long while also in a constant war.
When I got to Garlemald I expected a massive fight against the controlled soldiers and that’s what I got but when we got to the people to try and help those we can only to fail at saving some one them I just felt so angry. All I could say to myself was “Why! Why don’t they see we are trying to help them! Can’t they see past their own pride and just accept our help?!” But recently now I finally understand. These were people who’s ancestors were kicked out of their home and forced to live in this place and because of this it made them grow to hate those that forced them in this situation and want to reclaim their home. Over the years that feeling was twisted by hate and sharpened by the Ascians to become a tool that they needed. Now I can’t come to hate most of them as they are people who were in a system that was forced to continue the distrust of “savages” so when we arrive they believe we are there to get revenge on them not help them. All of this I feel towards most except for Quintis. Yes I may have hated him at the start for threatening the lives of those closest to me but like I said I have grown to understand how they would feel in this moment but when I will never forgive him for is when he killed himself. He was possibly the last person alive and sane enough to lead his people and he threw it all away because it meant swallowing his pride and taking a “lose”. He could have been an example for his people to keep their pride but move down a new path one not of conquest but of peace and respect to try and mend the wounds of old to try and walk towards the new dawn together. That’s why even now remembering seeing him kill himself I feel nothing. Not because of how the scene was done as it was great but more of how it meant to me and how it showed me that a man that could have done so much good choose his pride above all.
I'd like to see a breakdown of the legions. Between Gaius, Quintus and Hydrus, there were some "decent" individuals among them, even if their view of things were twisted.
Then there's Nael and the crushed smug git who ended up in charge of the 7ty after Nael.
So many varying levels of villainy.
I think Gaius was a true believer and the the most genuine part of the Lie that the Empire was. The thing is, it was never going to work it. not unless the Ascians were out of the picture.
Even if there were no Ascians it would never have worked because the ideology on which Gaius is based creates discrimination and hatred whether he wants it or not. Even her closest allies like Livia don't mind calling the people of Eorzea savages. Gaius is the only one who believes in the positive side of the ideology he promotes
Quintus is just a man who couldn't see change happen in the world anymore, atleast not for him - but his care for Garlemald drove him into existential dread when confronted with its non existance. It would be very hard to nigh impossible to change from his position, cause he is so stuck in the old glory days of Garlemald and their culture etc. being raised there, probably saw the empire rise from the very start and basically witnessed everything there is to it and even contributed heavily to it all. For it all to end? On a very bad and miserable note on top of that - Yeah, enough to break such a man to the core. His love or commitment for Garlemald was everything for him, his very life. Grand dreams of uniting the world that lead to nowhere and shattered. There simply was no other way, other than to end it on his own terms. It may be a pity for sure, but his character could not be more on point and is incredible written. Not everything is a happy ending, far from it. And if you disagree with how he ended it, I am with you. But the message it all brings is all that matters.
Garleans in ffxiv share a lot of history with another religion we have in our own current day. I kind of saw them that way and could easily understand the struggle of them trying to create their own peace. Sure it's a controversial view but it does allow ya to see a different view on all situations.
Edit: Do I think it's some secret message? No. Just that things can snowball out of control, even with good intentions. Garleans history is based on being slaves who escaped, who then were always paranoid about the "next time".
The scene in which we meet Quintus kinda felt like a parallel to the Parley with Varis during 4.5. At the start of both scenes, the characters enter hoping to find some semblance of common enough ground to avoid hostilities. And at the end of both scenes, the characters left having learned that the opposing party are too set in their ways to see any other perspective.
The scenes diverge outside of those in a number of ways:
1. During the Parley, it was the leaders of the Alliance + Alisae and the WoL against Varis; during the meeting in Tertium it was the Twins and the WoL against Quintus and a number of Imperial soldiers.
2. Whilst the Alliance leaders left the parley defiant to prepare for war; the Twins and the WoL did not resist when the Shock collars were put in place in an attempt to not jeopardise the humanitarian purpose of the Contingent.
3. During the Parley, Garlemald was (while fractured) still a force to be reckoned with, whilst during the events at Tertium it was no more than a memory broken down by the chaos following the death of Varis.
Though a aubjective similarity of the two scenes is that they both made me despise their respective Garlean leaders.
oh hey, I just reached this point of the story yesterday and my immediate gut reaction was 'you f-ing coward.' He's definitely Varis's buddy, right down to the same brain worms. And yeah, its a tragedy in a way, esp since we know that his brain worms came partly from a place of actual cultural trauma (the abuse the garleans suffered before being forced out of their homeland....800 years ago, but I can see why they'd still hold onto that esp considering where they were forced to live) and partly from Emet-Selch taking advantage of that cultural trauma to breed hate and violence to in turn create chaos, so his story is very tragic. But he also abandoned his people as soon as he couldn't be the most powerful guy in the room anymore.
And to be clear, I love that about the game. It is a very real world thing for powerful people to completely lose their minds as soon as they truly lose that power, esp because they see the world as a war of power rather than the potential for people to work together. A lot of NPCs in Garlemald emphasized that, they think the world has to be built on hierarchies and that without a clear chain of command, and with the lessers being kept in their place so their betters can make the decisions for them because the lessers can't make good decisions on their own, then there is no chance for a good future, that the future can only be chaos. And there are a ton of real world people who see things the same way, and who similarly have complete breakdowns in their own ways when that worldview is challenged. The game is hitting so real.
I found the scenes in the empire to be so goood because of the world building, i wished that endwalker had more scenes there tying in how the imperialist mindset turned into facism and using one definition of it as how the oppressive violence returns home in a time of chaos to horrifically reinforce a hierarchy in decay and requires the nihilism being displayed all during endwalker, quintus was such a good character study
I would love a video on the legions and thier legatus's. My WoL in his backstory is the bastard of the 2nd legion legatus since i couldnt find any lore on it
The part that got me was something I didn't catch the first time watching the cutscenes. Quintus pulls the trigger on the gun, and it doesn't go off. He sighs, as of to say "....damn, I can't even get this right." Re- cocks the gun, and then, it goes off. Wow....that was sooooo dark. Everything that happened in Garlemald was a rollercoaster.
Synodic, like you sighed for Quintus I now sigh for Ran'jit as well. Like Emet-Selch he had to contend with the death of someone close to him, namely the reincarnations of Minfilia before Ryne and after the last one he just gave up trying to do the right thing for the First. But like Quintus when Vauthry became ruler of Eulmore, Ran'jit sided with his world view without question even though Vauthry was the very enemy he fought for years. Ran'jit was a broken man who turned his back on the First and wholy belived in the cause of a monster like Vauthry and so I sigh for General Ran'jit just like I sigh for Quintus.
2:02 i wold love that
My honest opinion? Endwalker really needed to be more focused on Garlemald. It was one of my favorite parts of the expansion, but I think there was a lot of missed potential due to it only being one section of the game and one small area. Yet this small part of the expansion had some of the biggest emotional gut punches, such as the kids deciding that freezing to death was better than risking contact with the Alliance, and Alphinaud and Alisaie's conversation while they were in captivity. And of course, that haunting song that plays on the radio especially during that one scene. Quintus made me angry in how close minded he seemed, but like you said, he really was a tragic character who held on to an ideal that was based on lies. I think his story and death would have had way more impact if it was built up over time, though, instead of just confined to one section.
Not 100% related, but I also think the Garlemald part of the game REALLY needed to have the Alliance leaders and Gaius involved, as well as Varis being a primary villain. I feel like a lot of those plot lines were just resolved too quickly or off screen.
I strongly agree with you. During the run-up to 6.0 Yoshi-p made clear that there was quite a debate over whether to make Endwalker one or two expansions. IIRC, he made the decision to do it in one expansion as he was eager to move on. IMHO, I think it was a mistake and that FFXIV would have been better served by having two expansions.
@@colinholmes1768 Absolutely. Garlemald has been a major presence for so much of the game, and deserved an entire expansion to itself. The game kept teasing the war having a huge impact on the plot (even in patch 4.5 and the Shadowbringers trailer) but it just... fizzled out, which is really unfortunate since plots concerning Garlemald have been some of my favorites in recent expansions, such as the Sorrow of Werlyt trials and the end of 4.5 with Ghimlyt Dark and the debate with Varis.
Why did the 1st Legion, upon hearing the 10ths decision immediately agree to it? I don't know the organizational structure of the Legions and which has authority or which.
Is it explained anywhere the structure or hierarchy?
Your cadence reminds me of the TheEpicNate315. This is a good.
That's quite the compliment! They do great work.
In all Honesty I think Quintus van Cinna was the most human character we encountered in Endwalker.
the man lost everything.
Literally, his nation, his home, his dignity and his dream.
probably his family as well, his best friend the Emperor too.
His life's work was in ruins.
the only thing keeping him going was that hope of the other legions returning to Garlemald bringing the full force of their military might down upon this accursed plague that had hit their home land.
Essentially pride and sorrow.
But what I think some also missed about his part of the story.
is the same reason why Gaius didn't join us.
the people of Garlemald would never accept the Eorzean aid if even a single of the old Legatus remained on Garlean soil.
the top branch of the Garlean military could each be compared to Royalty of nobles.
their mere presence would inspire the Garleans to act in ways we from Eorzea would never relate to.
I mean their emperor was their god.
and each legatus was a potential new one.
his final actions were for glory of Garlemald, past, present and future.
a true patriot through and through.
But also simply a man that had lost everything.
Loss and Madness is a theme of Endwalker we see a few times in Endwalker and even in other expansions too.
I for one while not agreeing with Legatus Quintus van Cinna.
Respect the man for his dedication.
the Garlean empire is dead, and Quintus van Cinna died with it.
I understood how Quintus and the others came to be the way they are, and while I didn't agree, I hoped there could be common ground. Quintus and the two girls were so deep into the propaganda that there wasn't any way to save them, and probably the first time I needed to take a break. It felt all too real, and it got to me.
The only other time was in Thavnair after THAT scene with Matsuya though for completely different reasons.
Given Quintus' age, his indoctrination into the Garlean mindset, and ultimately the context of how that indoctrination settled into him as a person, I personally believe there was no other appropriate way for him to make his exit other than how it went.
As you've already mentioned, Quintus is an older Garlean. He's set in his ways and has ironclad belief in Garlean patriotism. What makes this all the more difficult but ultimately easy to understand is that-even as he honored the Xth legion's decision-he couldn't fathom that the Eorzean Alliance would be merciful to his and his legion's atrocities.
Because he couldn't see them as anything more than the enemy, and he already knows what he and his contemporaries would do to his enemies, as soldiers and patriots of Garlemald.
He's the legatus of the Ist legion, which stands to reason that the atrocities committed by his soldiers would be his to bear. He was fully convinced that when the dust settled over Garlemald's snow-covered plains, he would be branded a war criminal and subject to the consequences therewith-as set forth by Garlean imperial law, because that's the only law he knew and cared to know.
While your exploration on Quintus was a hopeful one on the condition that he would've been more open to change, it wouldn't have changed the fact that his legion still did what they did to Eorzeans and then some. In the end, his honor and integrity-however warped by the doctrine to varying degrees-would've expected capital punishment either way, and that would hang over him even if he wouldn't actually receive it from the Eorzeans.
With all that context in mind, Quintus exiting the way he did wasn't a matter of if, but when-whether it be in that very train-car in which he issued his orders, or a domicile given to him by the Eorzean Alliance. A soldier's conscience isn't often a very kind one, especially to his own failures and atrocities
Yeah. Quintus has no doubt killed or ordered the deaths of many innocent people in the name of the Empire. There is no happy retirement for Legatuses, except perhaps for the ones smart enough to get out before the fall like Gaius.
I felt bad for the two sisters. I felt nothing for Quintus. His men and women are better off without him.
I have to admit, I get a little bit annoyed by the people who judge Quintus… which is most people. You might not agree with the man’s decisions, but that’s because your path through life took a very different course, with different values and different experiences. I didn’t find anything wrong with his logic or the conclusions he reached, from within his own perspective. I’m willing to bet that in his shoes, any of us probably would have done the same… whatever we might claim without the context of living the life he did.
That being said, I do think Quintus could have been saved by someone who was able to appeal to his own personal values more. Someone who had gone in and given him a cold, harsh verbal slap across the face, accusing him of being willing to abandon his people in their hour of greatest need and telling him that his own feelings did not matter at all - he still had a duty to fulfill, regardless of how much he hated it. Quintus was a man driven by devotion to duty and clearly thought that hardship suffered in service to his country was a noble act… so the way to appeal to him would be to utterly reject his self-pity and remind him that he still had a job to do. Sadly, Eorzeans just don’t really think like that. They could never have reached Quintus on his own level.
I feel like this is probably one of the most accurate takes here. I've seen plenty of comments here saying he was prideful when in certain instances I could point at "dutiful" as being more significant in his outlook or actions than his pride. I'm not saying pride isn't a big part of him. But some people here are acting like "pride" is the *only thing* influencing his decisions, which is just so shallow from what I've seen.
People point him out as being neglectful for issuing a "suicide mission" while they themselves neglect to see that a lot of these garleans probably already saw themselves as dead and the "suicide mission" was more akin to them saying "Might as well go out fighting" in an otherwise hopeless situation. The same thing we as the warrior of light did during the final days. And yet, the people saying Quintus sent his men on a suicide mission probably wouldn't say the warrior of light was on a suicide mission, despite the fact the warrior of light was pretty much on the literal definition of a suicide mission from which they likely wouldn't have returned if not for "happy endings" and the fact killing the player character in an MMO is... challenging from a design perspective. I mean, in the vaguest of terms, it was a suicide mission. But the garleans probably didn't see it as that and saw it more as fighting against their fate, which for many of them had probably already been considered seal from their perspective.
There's also the fact that while we knew we were there for a humanitarian aid effort, as Quintus himself pointed out, countries aren't usually moved to help other countries unless they can gain from it. Its entirely plausible and reasonable and, in real life, *probably would have been the most obvious thing, to assume that these people weren't here to help him and his men, regardless of if they had brought food, medicine, and other supplies.*
After 9/11, Russia built a memorial and shipped it to the US. But most people probably wouldn't call the US and Russia allies just because they made a few kind gestures to one another. Likewise, just because Eorzea sent relief doesn't mean that they wouldn't use it as an opportunity to dismantle what remained of garlemald. And in real life, "dismantling" Garlemald would have had a very real possibility of turning everything around and oppressing the garleans, some of whom probably would have been nothing more than civilians which would undoubtedly be a miscarriage of justice. But its just what it is. It happens. And Quintus knew it could happen.
And I think that's probably the biggest thing. Quintus knew what could happen to his people if the Garleans were subjected to a potential "bad scenario" of the Grand Company of Eorzea deciding they wanted vengeance and now knew the Garleans couldn't hardly fight back. And you were right when you said that the Eorzeans never would have been able to "reach Quintus," as, despite the fact they were offering aid, it didn't mean they weren't still the enemy. And I think your approach of telling him to take responsibility for leading his men in a new world probably would have resonated with him a lot more not as a "prideful" person as so many other people here seem to think, but as a dutiful person as you pointed out. And maybe he could have been "saved" if approached in that manner.
Ultimately, its more that we didn't, or couldn't moreso, do enough to convince Quintus that we were there to help. As Quintius said, he didn't doubt that Alisaie and Alphinaud were there for peace. But it wasn't the twins who he was considering. And in the face of potentially becoming a war prisoner, he never would have given us the time to convince him anyone outside of the twins were truly good intentioned in not just the short term, but also the long term. Sure, the Ilsabard contingent was there to help. But what about 10 years in the future? 20? Making peace with Eorzea would almost certainly necessitate allowing them some amount of say in the formation of a new government. And that would infer that over time, they would have infrastructure, political sway, and possible military presence in Garlemald itself in the event the Eorzeans decided peace wasn't enough and they wanted vengeance.
And anyone who thinks that there wasn't just a grain, but a whole helping of truth in his words, has probably lived a sheltered life or is incapable of extrapolation and prescience. They'll say he's "incapable of thinking critically about a peaceful situation" all while ignoring the fact they themselves seemingly can't think critically about the fact peace with Eorzea could very well place the remaining garleans at their mercy years down the road and the implications of that is definitely something that should be considered, especially by someone like Quintus who I'd argue has an *actual responsibility* to consider such things and fight against the interests of entities who would attempt to enact such things against his people. This isn't to say that every choice he made was the right one. But I feel like I've seen a lot of people mischaracterizing him and why he does what he does or who are just fundamentally unable to understand him outside of a fantasy fairytale context.
Obviously, because its a video game, they probably aren't going to have the Eorzeans turning around and oppressing the Garleans. But in real life, it would be a very real possibility. And I'd say even within the game, it would be not just a possibility, but a likelihood that such a thing would happen if it weren't for the intervention of people like the warrior of light and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn as well as the whole impending apocalypse and the Telophoroi acting as a greater threat. And I know in real life, if I was in Quintus's shoes, I wouldn't be very keen on trusting a military force that just arrived on my country's land claiming they wanted peace, especially if my own country was in a weakened state. Something about a Trojan horse or whatever.
"That which does not bend will break." That's Quintus in a nutshell.
He made me sigh too, but for a slightly different reason - he was ultimately as much a victim of Ascian machinations as anyone else in Garlemald, no different from that poor woman who runs off into the wilds with her sister to get away from us and dies as a result. Whether he was a true believer of the empire, another victim of Garlean propaganda or just a leader too desperate to change his way of thinking in a crisis, for all his loyalty and determination to see his nation prosper he was ultimately just another pawn, another 'lesser being' for Emet to twist to his own ends. He shot himself out of despair believing his nation's dream was over, never knowing the dream had been a lie all along. He ultimately even abandoned his troops, who had clung to him in the belief he could guide them back to glory...for nothing.
Damn you, Hades. You were better than this.
I was honestly sad over the path he chose. There was a lot of potential for him, if he had carried on. Yet, he saw himself as a remnant of the old guard... He no longer had purpose. I think that's also one of the shortcomings to the banning of worship in Garlemald. Religion gives structure and meaning and hope. Debate all you like about who is right or wrong, but to deny the possibility of the divine, a higher power, something - someone - greater than yourself, you are limiting your life and cheapening your worth and value imho. Why else would one kill ones self but the determination you have no worth?
Jullus could have easily followed Quintus unto death, but he has been shown different from what he was taught. He was still, at least, open to other possibilities, that he now acts on.
I'll be honest, I would have loved to see Quintus survive and change or adapt. But I can't forgive putting shock collars on the twins. I understand emotion is clouding logic, but there it is.
Maybe this isn't a popular opinion.... but I think he was a damn fool. His pride only made things more miserable for the people he was obligated to protect- if he had just been willing to engage a little more with the Ilsabard contingent, he would've seen they weren't there to do any harm and they would've provided food and aid to the people.... Sending his troops to attack pointlessly was just.... ugh. It's understandable Quintus would have been suspicious of our motives at first, but he could've taken the time to parley and avoided a lot of pain.
They say pride and foolishness are often similar.
To add background to my experiences in endwalker. I spent the whole first of early access grinding reaper from 70 to 80 on Bozja to experience the story.
Then, from every day, about 5 am to 12 pm, as son as my significant other and I could get on. We played together. We experienced everything, the highest highs and lowest lows. We slept like babies after.
Garlemald was what we were both excited for, and feared.
Quintus, Jullus, and Tertium alongside the Lemures in exile were what tempered my experience and opinion of Garlemald.
Not as an ironclad nation of stoic, technological giants. But a people scared of being oppressed again and again. Why the Garlean empire truly existed was as a bastion not only against those Hrothgar and Roegadyn and more women could wield aether. But against the silent killing force that was the chill of Northern Ilsabard.
Quintus and Drusilla I find are two sides of a similar coin. As some pointed out that Quintus was a War dog. A veteran with no other way of living aside commanding, Drusilla is much the same. A reaper, one of the most skilled in fact. But became disillusioned in the Empire and its values. Who guided those of her family, her made family, to safety and watched over them whilst hunting her own inner demon. Her white whale of sorts in Orcus.
Where the two meet back again in similarity is that in being veterans of the founding of the empire, they become set in their own ways. Quintus an unbending, stoic patriot. And Drusilla, like Gaius even, having thr desire to keep those safe under her and lead by merit and a gentle hand.
Ultimately, Quintus had some manner of lucidity, foresight even. To know that his people would need the aid of the eorzean alliance, and in his final act of aged defiance. Commits suicide by the banner he helped raise.
I feel this denotes one thing, as a writer, a critic, and a lover of the lore...
Garlemald, as it stands, is truly dead. The empire that once existed is now truly gone. Freed of its bonds, with Quintus' passing, Jullus had taken the torch and has made the great strides of leadership in this terrible interegnum.
I only hope the people of Ilsabard unite once more with our aid. It hurts to see their suffering and their pride preventing our attempts of aid.
This particular moment is one I often think about. It had me flabbergasted. I knew the moment he loaded that gun, that he was going to end himself.
It is incredible as well as terrifiying, that someone can be so devoted to their homeland and purpose, that they would let their enormous pride refuse all and every helping hand proffered to them. It made me sigh in sheer exasperation. I was so angry that he would choose this way out and at the same time understood how blinded he was. His short time on screen did not matter to leave a massive impact on my feelings.
Quintus is supposed to be a more grounded take on the themes of Despair in the story, something that you can point to in relation to what Meteion says later, and realize that it isn't as easy as just "be hopeful anyway, lol", someone like Quintus has no way forward, its utterly hopeless, his entire life is a lie, its over, there is nothing left but to give in to despair.
me and my sister do not agree on much, especially these past few years, but we did agree on one thing: Quintus reminded us of our father. A man so damn prideful and stuck in his ways that he refuses to accept change, to accept that he and those around him were wrong. I have a lot of alts, so i am constantly doing the story, but have only beaten EW 2 times, and this is part of why. The Garlemald segment feels real. Many argue that it needed more time, but I think that how it was handled and what we see strike closest to home because of how real it is.
it is also a reminder that so many Garleans are TERRIFIED of the WoL. The so called 'champion of Eorzea' is a monster to them, yet here they are, not drawing a weapon or even trying to hurt them. More concerned about the safety of the twins than lashing out. When you choose to think of Haurchefant and offer to 'share the fire', it throws Quintus off because he has never met you. Gaius, having now worked alongside the WoL during the Werlyt questline or at least spoken on more even terms states that Garlemald may come to see the WoL for who they really are: a good person that is willing to help others, despite what happened over the course of the game.
I hope we get more time in Garlemald, to actually see what becomes of it in the end. Julus and Gaius, along with Maxima, Cid, Nero and Lucia show that the world is not black in white, something FFXIV excels at showing us again and again. It's what makes the story so gripping imo, and I eagerly await what they give us these coming years!
Garlemald deserved its own expansion. Didn’t like how they treated it in Endwalker.
Great video, there's so much fantastic writing in Endwalker and the Garlemald section is no exception. If anyone is interested, Zuldim has a deep dive on this part of the game titled "Home Beyond the Horizon - A Final Fantasy XIV Video Essay" that looks at The Garlean Empire's brand of fascism through the lens of critical theory.
Quintus also got a sigh out of me - maybe one of the most poignant sighs that I have ever sighed, for a doomed worldview. Well done, writers.
I felt sad for the Garlemald people. Quintus took the coward way out in my opinion. Rather then stay and change for the betterment of the world and his people, he chose killed himself. I find that sad and his death really made take a short 10 minute break to rethink just what the fuck had just happened. Still what a amazing written character.
I love these videos where you talk about the writing of specific characters. For me Endwalker was great, narrative wise like it always kept you on your seat, wondering what's happening next, but I wish I could say the same for the characters. For me at least it felt like there wasn't much development with the scion characters and a few others, mainly because most of their arcs were already completed in Shadowbringers, so there wasn't any real conflict within them and possibility to grow. Overall they felt stale, just being there for the sake of it and supporting the warrior of light.
Warning: extremely harsh take upcoming that some may see as unfair. It's just my opinion and my feelings. Quintus was a coward who took children as hostages and then sentenced his men and the civilians under his care to death, either in battle or freezing and starving to death. Then he punched his own ticket rather than face what he'd done. I disagree with this assessment entirely; there's no honor or greatness to such a man. The only tragedy is that he should have done it sooner so more lives could have been saved.
The Garlean arc was amazing, don't get me wrong, and he was necessary to it. I just found him despicable in the extreme.
It's crazy to think that there were actual people in history who shared the same beliefs of Quintus, but couldn't live with the idea of a changed world unless it was their view.
He was the only one that immediately recognized _our greatness_ .
And provided more mystery to just _how_ strong we are. The cold won't phase us, the electric necklace won't even sting us, the heat can't burn us.
That was the only part I liked about him. Other that, I'm glad he perished. Only shame was that we couldn't had invaded Garlemand and fought him instead.
Still waiting for a nurburge like trial for garlemald. The story seems to just forgiving them way to quickly and it bothers me. I’m getting clean varmoct vibes from it and it’s uncomfortable.
i might have sighed for Licinia and the other garlean civilians but not for Quintus, because after the Xth request to stand down, instead of marching with his man to a suicide mission he ordered his men to live (even if threw his men at us a short while ago). even if he shunned our help, he never disrespected us and he held on to his believes even after the bullet passed through skull. and for that i choose to not sigh but salute in respect.
side note: maybe it's the portuguese sentimentalist in me but i like Quintus as a character is because i see a lot of people in my country that are just like him. Old, stubborn but wise people who are still working to meld a "dead" country while strings are pulled behind the scenes. idk it's like 2am and i'm lucid as fuck
What I sa was just a dummy nazi eating a bullet. Don't get me wrong, I love the way they presented it. Western media is so pushy to make evil characters evil from start to finish, like audience can't see when someone is fucked up if you don't punch them in the face with the fact. I loved how they did nothing of the typical western tricks for a villian. He looked like a real person at his last scene, someone you can even feel a little bit of empathy if you don't know about the experiments they did on occupied population, the brutal iron fist they ruled with in east and so on. I am sure in his own eyes it was all to create long standing piece.
However, I really love and how in earlier expansions they put a lot of effort to explain the empire pretty close to Germany and Japan before ww2. They are looked lower by other nations because they have no magic, they are quite ignored and feel like everyone are against them, but now they have the power to fight back, and pride to reclaim.
Did Zenos even know this guy's name? That's definitely the worst part of it all for me
He, and the two sisters, are some of the most tragic people in the whole expansion. They had been indoctrinated, and couldn't see their way out. We could see their potential, and we tried to turn their view away from the fanatical devotion to a fallen nation. But not even the Warrior of Light can fix everything...
I cannot disagree more with Quintus leaving an impact. Hes a coward who saw his path fail, and ultimately copped out like a coward. Small time nobody.
'man of honor' *glares at shock collared twins"
he had some principles, but war is war
As much as I want to sympathize with Quintus, I can not look over his hypocrisy at what his empire has done to people in other nations. Quintus's paranoia and his actions are understandable, but he is not the most pragmatic individual. The lack of real pragmatism and real politics between the Contingent and Quintus realistically is all par for the course of the events of Endwalker. Quintus's death is not as tragic in the grand scheme of things.
F
Quintus van Cinna was 100% not mad in any way.
He could have been more, but he was a true believer. There was never any hope for him. You can't reason with someone who has cult-like devotion to their cause.
Indeed. Honorable man, but narrow-minded. Strong-willed, but guided by the wrong ideals
Quintus. Memorable? Yes. A good written character? Yes. Did I like him? Not one bit. I hated this ignorant, self-diluted jerk to bits, and him committing suicide had two reactions in me: 1. good riddance, and 2. what a coward! Do I believe he shot himself to protect his men? Well, hell, no, he didnt -.- He couldnt stand to live in a world without his oh so beloved Emperor and without Garlemald being at the top of the foodchain. However, all that not withstanding, I can acknowledge, that he was a product of birth and cercumstances, and that any other outcome would contradict his character as it was established. All too often do we encounter villians/enemies, that too easy turn around and side with us. That Quintus kept being a jerk was at the very least logical.
4:00 --- I would agree with you, hadnt he put shocker collars on the twins -.- That was a "you're on my list, buddy, either you get killed or I'll see to it myself".
"Blind" is the primary word which I would use to describe this man/character. Blind to his own actions, blind to the actions of this countrymen, blind to the ambitions and their consequences of his masters. A blind, obedient dog - the likes of which we find applenty in our real world history, and they are the worst. This guy was beyond reasoning, and beyond salvation. His suicide in the end, as I said, was the only way for him to go out - since that "blaze of glory" was denied him due to his injuries.
Without the context of FFXIV and you specifically referring to Garlemald and the Garleans, I could've sworn this was a story about the US...
I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree with Quintus being "honourable". This is a man who meets an open hand with a closed fist, who imprisons envoys and would sooner see the civilian populace die of starvation and hypothermia than take an offer of aid for those civilians from his opponent. A man who, when all his grand ideals and ambitions fell crashing around him, deserted the soldiers under his command through a bullet to the brain rather than accept defeat to protect the last thing left of his oh-so-vaunted empire.... it's people.
Quintus made me incandescent with rage from start to finish, and when he took his own life I said "Good riddance" and warned my friends who still had to reach Garlemald of what was to come so it wouldn't cause them trauma because of his suicide as I knew it would be a harrowing experience and one I still view as not done in good taste.
I'm far less 'kind' to the man than you are. In many ways, I feel that his pride and bitterness corrupted and decayed all things that might have once been good about him. Whatever sense of honor he had, he taints by taking peaceful envoys as hostage and using a diplomatic envoy as an ambush (Not that Varis, even when a diplomatic talk went ill, never as much threatened to break the negotiation truce) When he decides to use the painstakingly acquired fuel for that foolish attack, he doesn't throw away just the lives of his soldiers, but the civilians under his care, remaining citizens of Garlemald to freeze to death. And when it all falls down, and he could serve as a leader for a people who still respect him, he 'breaks the chain' that he talked about. In the end, he cared about the dream, but that chain was about the people. He followed the dream, and deserted his people in a time of need. Contrast him with Jullus, who suffered perhaps moreso than Quintus, and when Quintus died I felt pity for the soldiers who were clearly distraught, but the man himself? Good riddance then.
Quintus is basically boomer but 100 times far more depressed.
i have few words about Quintus van Cinna but i shall share them.
"He was more will to replace the Boot he so eagerly licked with a gun rather then the food. Typical."
A noteable turn of phrase. haha
I dream of a world where Garlemald was an alternate faction we could join.
People like him are a dime a dozen. Stubbornly holding to lost dream that was propped up on false ideals, being manipulated by people who have no common ground with them and ultimately devoid of any spark of curiosity or criticality that might make them seek a bigger picture or a new perspective.
Watching his death was grisly, but I didn't really feel for him at all. I don't think the writers ever intended for him to be a redeemable character, his death was a symbol of the last bit of fight left in the legion also dying.
I've always felt like Quintus was a sorta apology for Varis. i was very disappointed when Varis veered into one race nonsense during that parley with him. it made me dislike when the story shows villains with actually credible grievances, but makes them do the just mustache twirling, nonsensical acts with glee.
I wish we got more of garlemald in ew